Washing machine



June l, 1943. w. WlEsT ET A1.

WASHING MACHINE Filed April e, 1939 Si f - qi s vll."

Patented June 1, 1943 "ASHING MACHINE Y Walter Wiest and Erwin Winkeler, Stuttgart- Unterturkheim, Germany; vcsted in the Alien Property Custodian Application April s, 1939, serial No. 266,236

In Germany July 14, 1938 (ci. sa-131) 1 y accompanying drawing which shows a somewhat 9 Claims.

This invention relates to washing machines, and is particularly concerned with improvements designed to facilitate the agitation of the washing liquid, and the agitation as well as the circulation of the goods within the machine Vduring the process of washing, so as to render the washing action more positive and eilicient.

e Washing machines of the type shown herein are equipped with a generally cylindrical agitator which is located within a stationary housing constituting a washing chamber, andis given a reciprocating motion for thek purpose of agitating the liquid and the goods so as to subject the same to the laundering action of the suds. In the known machines, the agitator is usuallyof such a diameter that it occupies most of the transverse space and frequently nearly the entire space within and across the inside of the washing chamber. The goods to be laundered are therefore located substantially 'within A the agitator, their lateral or transverse motion yreciprocating motion. 'Ihis structure of the agitator may cause a crowding of the goods within its eylindricaliwalls and may thus impede cfcient washingaction.

The Structure according to the invention overcomes this-drawback by employing an agitator of smallerfdiaxneter'so that the goods are given not only a reciprocating motion within its inside walls, but also a circulating motion through and along the space between the outside of the agitator and the inside wall of the washing chamber. The result is a free -circulating movement of the goods on each side of the agitator wall, avoiding crowding,-v and subjecting every piece of the goods to the action of the vigorously agitated suds.

The washing action is still further improved in accordance with another feature of the invention by providing annular ribs on the inside and outside of the substantially cylindrical agitator and dimensioning the outside ribs so that their effective area is larger than that of the inside ribs. These ribs increase the agitation of the washing liquid and also that of the goods to be washed,'inasmuch as they cause a turningover or circulating of the goods during the reciprocating movement thereof.

The above noted and other objects and features not yet specifically mentioned will appear from the following description referring to the diagrammatic perspective view of an embodiment of the new washing machine with ysome parts broken away and others in cross-section to illustrate details more clearly.

The stationary housing of the washing machine, may comprise an outer shell I, an inner lining 2, and a suitable bottom plate 5. The housing rests on a circular frame member O which may be supported by suitable legs as shown.

Attached to the bottom of the housing and projecting .therefrom is a casting 4 containing the shaft I2 and the vcrank member 3 which drives the reciprocating rod II carrying the agitator 9. -The shaft I2 is rotated by suitable means, for example. by a. belt I3, from the motor I4, the belt actuating a pulley which may be mounted on the shaft I2. The motor is resiliently and adjustably secured on the apparatus in any desired and approved manner.

The mounting means for the crank housing 4 may comprise suitable bolts projecting through an annular plate 6. This plate carries a bellows "I, the upper end of which embraces the rod II n and prevents leakage of the Washing liquid into the crank housing 4, the latter being preferably filled with oil. A channel 8 may be provided to connect the interior of the Ibellows 1 with the outside. Liquid seeping from this channel will serve as a warning of leakage through the -bel.

lows, whereupon the bellows may be replaced if required, cr the trouble repaired as indicated by proper inspection.

The cylindrical agitator 9 is secured on the reciprocating rod I I by means of arms suchas I5. It carries a plurality of annular ribs I6 on the inside wall and a plurality of annular ribs I'I on the outside thereof. The latter ribs are appreciably wider than the former. The space between the periphery of the outer ribs I1 and the inside wall of the lining 2 of the washing chamber corresponds substantially to one-half of the inner diameter of the ribs I6. This proportion of the various parts has been found suitable for obtaining the desired agitation and a free circulation of the goods along the inside as well as the outside of the agitator.

The operation is as` follows:

The motor I4 rotates the shaft I2 and the crank 3, causing a reciprocating motion of the rod Il and moving the agitator 9 rapidly up and down. The stroke may be about 50 mm. which, with the rapid reciprocating movement, is sufficient to Obtain a vigorous agitation of theI washing liquid resulting in a more efllcient formation of suds than heretofore obtained with the usual slow-operating machines.l

The goods move in this vigorously agitated washing liquid in a circulating motion through and along the inner space of the agitator 9 and through and along the space between the agitator and the lining 2 of the washing chamber. Each piece of the goods is thus subjected to the same thorough washing action as any other piece and no piece can escape this action.

It should be observed that the cylindrical portion of the agitator 9 extends above the uppermost ribs I 6 and I1 as indicated at I 0. This extension is provided for the purpose of avoiding a stoppage in the circulating motion of the goods to be laundered. In other words, these goods are prevented from remaining in contact with the uppermost ribs I6 and Il, which would give a large resting surface, and are'compelled to go through the circulating motion by virtue of the narrow edge of the extension I0. As an additional advantage, this extension i 0 also facilitates the emptying of the agitator at the conclusion of the washing action.

Changes may be made within` the scope and spirit of the accompanying claims in which is defined What is believed to be new and desired to have protected by Letters Patent of the United States. i

What is claimed is: 1

1. In a washing machine having a chamber for receiving washing liquid and goods to be laundered, an agitator movably disposed in said chambei', said agitator comprising a tubular substantially cylindrical body which is open at each end. al plurality of annular ribs disposed on and projecting from the outside wall of said body, a plurality of annular ribs disposed on and projecting from the inside wall of said body, a reciprocating shaft projecting upward substantially centrally into said body, and means disposed inside said body near one end thereof for connecting said body withsaid reciprocating shaft,` said ribs being so dimensioned that the distance between the outer edge of said outside ribs and the inside wall of said chamber substantially equals the distance between the inner edge of said inside ribs and said shaft, whereby the goods -placed into said chamber for laundering can execute a circulating motion within the spaces defined by the walls of said agitator when said agitator is moved by said reciprocating shaft.

2. In a washing machine, a housing forming a substantially cylindrical washing chamber, a tubular substantially cylindrical agitatordisposed in said chamber, means for reciprocating said agiv tator substantially axially of said chamber, pairs of laterally aligned axially spaced ribs projecting. from the outside and the inside walls of said agitator, said ribs being so dimensioned that the distance between the outer edge of the outside ribs and the inside wall of said chamber substantially equals the distance between the inner edge o! the inside ribs and the axis of said agitator.

3. The structure and combination defined in claim 2, wherein said outside ribs are considerably wider than said inside ribs to effect differential agitation `of said goods.

4. The structure and combination defined in claim 2, wherein said ribs are arranged on said body axially substantially equidistant, and wherein each outside rib is arranged in radial alignment with an inside rib.

5. The structure and combination dened in claim 2, wherein the ribs on the outside of said agitator body are considerably wider than the ribs on the inside thereof, whereby differential agitation is effected on the two sides of said agitator body.

6. The structure and combination, deiined in claim 2, wherein a pair of said outside and said inside ribs are disposed in alignment with and form one end of said agitator body, and wherein another pair of said outside and said inside ribs are in alignment with each other and disposed short of the other end of said agitator body.

7. In a machine of the class described having a chamber for receiving liquid and goods to be treated therein, a movable agitator disposed within said chamber, said agitator consisting of a tubular open-ended body, a plurality of relatively narrow similarly shaped and dimensioned annular ribs projecting from the inside wall of said body, a plurality of relatively wide similarly shaped and dimensioned annular ribs projecting from the outside wall of said body in transverse alignment with said inside ribs, and means including a transversely extending arm inside said body for imparting a reciprocating lmotion theret0.'

8. The structure defined 'in claim 7, wherein one of said outside and one of said inside transversely aligned ribs form one end of said agitator body.

9. The structure defined in claim 7, wherein.

one of said outside and one of said inside transversely aligned ribs form one end of said agitator body, and wherein Ya tubular extension free of said ribs constitutes the other end of said body.

WALTER WIES'I'.

ERWIN WINKEILER. 

